Revolving disk sickle for corn-harvesters.



. PATENTED OCT. 9

R. ALLEN. REVOLVING DISK SIGKLE FOR 001m HARVESTERS.

APPLICATION FILED 13130.16. 1905.

m/ z M Z W a 2 THE NORRIS PETERS ca, WASHINGTON, n. c.-

UNITED STATES ROBERT ALLEN, OF SUVER, OREGON.

REVOLVING DISK SICKLE FOR CORN-HARVESTERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1906.

Application filed December 18.1905- Serial No. 292,331.

To U whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ROBERT ALLEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Suver,

, of one of the disks.

in the county of Polk and State of Oregon, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Revolving Disk Sickles for Corn-Harvesters, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved revoluble disksickle for cornharvesting machines which will be durable in constructionand efficient in operation and avoid all the jerk and wear and tear on ama chine of this character which is ordinarily caused bycrank-and-pitman actuating mechamsm.

With this and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention consists, essentially, of one or morepairs of disks, which are preferably concaved or dish-shaped .and arearranged to rotate in a horizontal plane with their cutting devicesslightly overlapping, the disks being so arranged that as thecornharvester travels forwardly the stalks of corn will be drawninwardly by the rapidly-rotating disks and cut by a shearing motion. Bymeans of the rotating disks I am able to do away with the ordinarycrank-.and-pitman actuating mechanism that is the essential .part of areciprocating cutter-bar, and thereby avoid wear and tear upon themachine.

The invention also consists in the novel arrangement of thecutting-disks, one-of which is provided with a protecting-cover, all aswill be hereinafter fully set forth, and specifically pointed out in theappended claims.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means foreffecting the result reference is to be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a portionof the corn-harvester embodying the improvements of my invention' Fig. 2is a detail view illustrating the cutting-disks in side or edgeelevation. Fig. 3 is perspective view Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectionalview on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, parts being shown in side elevation.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a portion of theframe of the cornharvester, and 2 designates longitudinallyextendingbraces which are secured at their rear ends to the rear cross-bar of theframework and extend from thence forwardly in parallel relation aportion of their length. At or near their front ends the braces 2 arecurved outwardly or diverge from each other, as indicated at 2 and areconnected at their front ends to the longitudinal side bars of theframework 1. By this arrangement the braces 2 constituterearwardly-converging guides designed to receive the corn and drive itto the cutting-disks.

3 designates a transverse brace secured to the side bars of theframework 1 and also to the braces 2 near the rear end of the framework,as shown. Secured to the braces 3 and to the braces 2 and side bars ofthe frame there are four spider-like bearingbrackets 4, arranged in twopairs, the brackets of one pair being mounted in superposed relation toeach other. In each pair of brackets 4 there is journaled a verticalshaft 5, each of which carries a cutter-disk 6. The upper end of eachshaft preferably terminates in the same horizontal plane and is providedwith a beveled pinion 7, meshing with a similar pinion 8 on alongitudinallyeXtending shaft 9, mounted in suitable bearings upon theparts 4 and the transverse brace 3. At their rear ends each of theshafts 9 carries a bevel-pinion 10, which meshes with a miter-gear 11 ona transverse shaft 12, and the said shaft carries at one end asprocket-wheel 18, geared, by means of a chain 14, to a similar wheel 15on the same shaft with the tractor-wheel 16.

From the above-described gearing it will be evident that as the machineis drawn forwardly the two disks 6 will rotate in the direction of thedarts shown in Fig. 1.

One of the main features of my invention resides in the construction andarrangement of the rotating cutter-disks 6. Each of these disks issubstantially cup-shaped and is provided with a sharp rim or edge 17 asshown. One of the disks is arranged with its convex surface uppermost,and the other is arranged oppositelythat is, with its hollow sideuppermost and with its cutting edge taking under the cutting edge of thefirst-named disk, so that the two edges Will be overlapping, asindicated best in Fig. 2. It will be seen,

therefore, that one of these disks is arranged in a lower plane than theother and that the two disks are arranged oppositely to each other withtheir cutting edges overlapping and substantially in the same horizontalplane. That cutting-disk which is arranged with its hollow sideuppermost is provided with a protecting-cover 18, which is mounted onthe same shaft therewith and is of substantially cymbal shape, or cupshape inverted. It is of less diameter than the disk on which it isplaced, so as to leave the cutting edge of the said disk exposed, andthe purpose of the cover 18 is to protect the said disk from the.

dirt and clips of the cornstalk which would otherwise drop in the hollowof the upturned cutting-disk, and thereby cause rust or unnecessarywear.

In the practical operation of my invention as the machine travelsforwardly the stalks of corn will be pulled in by the rotating disks andbe cut thereby without causing any stop or jerk to the machine. Hence myinvention effects not only important economies in that the parts are notsubjected to the strain and excessive wear that crankand-pitmanactuatingdparts would be subjected to, but also provi es means wherebythe work may be proceeded with smoothly and be run or operated at anexpenditure of much less power.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In amachine of the character described, the combination of cutting diskseach of which is substantially cup-shaped, said disks being arrangedwith their edges overlapping, one of the disks having its hollow sidefacing downwardly and the other having the corresponding side facingupwardly, and means for rotating said disks.

2. In a machine of the character described the combination of twosubstantially cupshaped cutting-disks arranged with their edgesoverlapping and facing in opposite directions, and a protecting-coverfor one of said disks and means for rotating said disks.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of twocutting-disks each of which is substantially cup-shaped one of saiddisks being arranged with its hollow side downward and the other withits hollow side upward and said disks having their cutting edgesoverlapping each other, an invertedcup-shaped protecting-cover securedto the upwardly-facing disk and of a smaller diameter than said diskwhereby to expose the cutting edge of the same, and means for rotatinsaid disks.

4. n a machine of the character described, the combination with aframework provided with a converging guideway, of two cuttingdisksarranged to pro'ect across said guideway each of said disks beingsubstantially cup-shaped and arranged with their hollow portions facingin opposite directions and with their edges overlapping and means forrotating said disks.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination with aframework having a converging guideway, of cutting-disks mounted in saidframework with their cutting edges overlapping and extending into saidguideway, all of the said disks being substantially cup-shaped withtheir hollow sides facing in opposite directions, that is, onedownwardly and the other upwardly, a cymbal-shaped cap mounted on theupwardly-facing disk and means for rotating the said disks.

6. A machine of the character described, comprising a framework providedwith longitudinal braces converging toward the rear and forming aguideway, two pairs of brackets mounted in said framework at oppositesides of said guideway, cup-shaped disks mounted in said brackets torotate in horizontal planes, said disks being arranged with theircutting edges overlapping and one of said disks facing upwardly and theother downwardly and the upwardly-facing disk being arranged in a lowerplane than the other, a cap or cover mounted on the upwardly-facing diskand of less diameter than the same whereby to leave the cutting edge ofsaid disk exposed, and means for simultaneously and continuouslyrotating said disks.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT ALLEN. a. 8.]

Witnesses ETHEL Ross, BENA SUELLING.

